


Happier

by beautifulsolitude03



Series: I'm holding on to your soul [1]
Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Angst, Drinking, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 22:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10559006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifulsolitude03/pseuds/beautifulsolitude03
Summary: “I never stood a chance, did I?”“That's the sad part, you did once.”Or in which Maya and Lucas have a conversation.





	

[.....]

It's her engagement party, and she's filled with more joy than he has ever seen her. Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously, and her smile was just the slightest bit crooked.

Maya is twenty-two, fresh out of college, and set to be married within the next year. Lucas hangs back from the group, sitting on one of the benches that rested atop the roof of Riley's building.

He is nursing his beer in a tight grasp, wondering if people would become suspicious if he left the party too early, especially on a day such as this.

A soft giggly laughter made its way to his ears, causing something in his chest to tremble.

He looked away from the empty night sky, and studied the ground beneath his feet, knowing from the soft hum in his blood, where the source of that laughter came from.

Maya Penelope Hunter. Soon to be Maya Penelope Matthews. Josh Matthews was a lucky man.

At the thought, his drink slipped and he almost lost the only thing that was going to get him through the night.

Thankfully, by the grace of God, or by some other guardian Angel, he managed to latch onto it with his other hand before it hit the floor.

He breathed a sigh of relief, lifting it too his lips, and taking a long swig. Relishing how easily it flowed past the bitter ache in his throat.

“Nice save, Huckleberry.”

Lucas froze, letting the words sink into skin, savoring the way _she_ said his nickname, the one that he had only ever let her call him.

Even before everything had went to hell. Even before the triangle had taken all the life, all the fight out of him.

Another subtle sign. One an idiot like him had been bound to miss.

Lucas tore himself from his thoughts, and shrugged awkwardly, “Thanks.”

Maya nodded her head toward the space next to him, “Is it cool if I sit down?”

His eyes darted from her toward the ground, trying not to look too long. Fearing that if he did he might not ever be able to look away.

“Yeah. Yeah. Sure.”

She sits down beside him, leaving a respectable distance between their bodies. A friendly distance.

He doesn't-can't bear to-look at her. So, instead he distracts himself, fidgeting with the beer bottle in his hand. Staring into it with a squinted eye, he could've sworn there was more than a third left in it when he took his last swig.

They are quite for a long time. It's not awkward exactly. But this silence is different from all the others. This one wasn't the kind that you couldn't help but fill.

It was the solemn kind. The kind of quiet after someone or _something_ dear dies. And though you still have all the words left in the world to say, you can't, because it's too late. 

 _They're_ gone.

Nothing could bring them back. Lucas can't help it, he has to twist the knife inside his chest even more, “You're happy.”

It isn't a question. It's an observation. And she knows it.

Maya's doesn't say anything at first, instead her brows furrowed thoughtfully. As if the thought was just now occurring to her. As if she was so unused to the idea that her happiness mattered, that she never really considered it. Considered herself.

Finally, she glanced at him, “I am.”

Something in his chest flinched, still he did not falter, “ Good. Great. That's awesome.”

Lucas finally looks into her doubtful expression. Feeling prepared to look at her without giving himself away.

“Really, Maya. I've always wanted that for you.”

Maya raised a brow, “Really?”

“Really, Maya. You deserve to be happy.”

His voice comes out soft, too soft. And gentle, so gentle he almost swears. But thankfully, he manages to keep his temper in check.

She nudges her shoulder with his. And the point where her body makes contact with his helps him breathe just a bit easier.

“Thanks, Huckleberry.”

He nods, then moves to get up. Before he decides he never wants to leave this bench. Before he decides he never wants to leave her side.

He stretches, gently drops his bottle into the trash. “I think it's best I go, now.”

Maya looks at him, blue eyes tender, and almost disappointed. “Stay. Please?”

His heart breaks. He wants too. There isn't anything he wants more in the world than to stay with her. To come home to her , or have her come home to him.

His heart flips at the mere image. But he hadn't chosen her. He had chosen someone else even though he had loved her. He may not have known it at the time.

But it had always been her. He has always-will always-love her. Even if she didn't know it.

A trembling breath escapes him. He could never help himself when it came to her. She had always seemed kind of inevitable to him.

“I never stood a chance did I?”

Lucas watches as the happiness in Maya's eyes crumples, and her expression collapses into something like regret. Something akin to sadness. An almost heartbreak that seizes her heart, and holds it captive.

“That's the sad part, you did once.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title was inspired by Ed Sheeran's song Happier. And this story began because of a Tumblr prompt #11


End file.
